Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Review

Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Setup

Setup of the Shure MV6 is pretty straightforward, as it was quickly recognized by Windows and made available as a recording device named “Shure MV6”. Simple tweaks to Discord, Webex and Streamlabs OBS were needed to make it our input device, but other than that, the MV6 is really a great example of plug-and-play. That simplicity in installation really makes getting up and running a breeze, as outside of the touch-sensitive mute, all adjustments will need to be made within your operating system via Shure’s MOTIV Mix application, and any additional audio applications you may wish to use. All that said, if you are looking for a simple plug-and-play microphone, this may be just what you are looking for.

Speaking of software, Shure offers the optional MOTIV Mix application that lets you make more precise adjustments to microphone, in addition to audio mixing similar to what we have seen in other application’s like Elgato’s impressive Wavelink.

MOTIV Mix Software

Like many other software components of computer hardware, MOTIV Mix uses a multi-section structure to organize the various settings and menus that are available for configuring the MV6 and other audio devices. Along the left side of the application is a menu that lets you setup “actions”, though it is a bit confusing, as you can only see one action available at a time, and loading another action replaces the one in use. Think of these as profiles, but without the ability to quickly swap between them without using the File menu.

The Sources section shows a list of available audio sources that can be added to the Mixer section. Clicking on one of the options in the Sources section adds that source to the Mixer area. Next to the Shure MV6 is a gear icon that will open up a Device Settings menu when clicked – more on that later.

With the MV6 added to the Mixer, you now gain access to a gain slider that can adjust between -60 and 12, as well as an input meter that shows a live visualization of the activity of the microphone. This level features a color-changing bar that adjusts depending on the level, as well as a floating bar that whos the latest maximum level for a short period of time. There is also a Mute button, as well as a Monitor button. Additionally, there is a gear icon that will bring up those aforementioned Device Settings menu. Here in the Mixer menu you can add additional input devices and arrange them to your liking for full control of your audio components. To the right side of the Mixer is a meter for the real-time monitor and main volume levels.

The recording section at the bottom of MOTIV Mix is available for creating audio recordings of either the main output only, or the main output as well as all of the individual sources.

The Device Settings menu provides the ability to adjust the gain mode between auto-level and manual, and also provides access to adjust the monitor mix between the microphone audio and system volume. There is also a Tone drop-down for selecting between a range including Dark, Natural, and Bright. The Real-time Denoiser option works to remove background noise, while Popper Stopper digitally reduces plosive sounds, in addition to the built-in foam windscreen. The High Pass Filter option lets you apply a filter to help cut out environmental sounds like HVAC systems.

MV6 Usage

Like all of our microphone reviews, the MV6 was used in multiple scenarios throughout our testing period. With a single cardioid polar pattern, the MV6 is suited well for podcasting and streaming uses where there is a single audio source. The directional audio pickup of a cardioid pattern really favors being right in front of the microphone for the best results, and the MV6 works best when the front is aimed at your mouth, so keep that in mind if you end up using this microphone. Our most used scenarios are podcasting and streaming, though the MV6 would be a great upgrade from a built-in webcam microphone for online meetings where improved audio can make a huge improvement.

With regards to mounting, the integrated tab at the bottom of the microphone body, with the pre-attached adapter, makes attaching the MV6 to either the included base or microphone arm a piece of cake. There are not knobs to adjust the tightness of the mount adapter angle, so you will need a screwdriver to adjust it if needed. This mounting method allowed me to have the microphone right in front of myself for great audio pickup of my voice, and reduced audio pickup from my keyboard and mouse. This is especially important during this review, as I don’t test with NVIDIA RTX Voice enabled, which would cut out all of the background noise.

I love touch-sensitive mute on microphones, and that feature is a welcome one on the MV6. With the illuminated indicator showing you the status of the microphone, you would be able to easily see it if it weren’t on the side facing away from you. I’m not sure what the solution is, but there has to be a better way to indicate that the microphone is muted, similar to what we have seen on mics like the HyperX QuadCast.

As we have noted in our previous microphone reviews, the sound quality improvement when moving from a headset or webcam-based microphone to a dedicated condenser-style microphone is night and day. Below are sample audio recordings from the Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone, as well as many of our previously reviewed microphones.

Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone